Plant-marker.



L. WILLIS.

I PLANT MARKER. APruoulon FILED JAN. 29, 1908.

Patented Oct. 13,1908.

October 16th, 1906, to

UNITED STATES LELAND WILLIS, OF GRENLOCH,

COMPANY, OF GRENLOCH,

PLANT-MARKER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LELAND WILLIS, a citi- -zen of the United States, residing in Grenloch, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Plant-Markers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of certain improvements in the plant. marker forming the subject of Letters Patent No. 833,663, granted Frank Bateman, the object of my invention being to simplify and cheapen the construction of said device and to provide a'marker whose parts are light, strong and easily assembled or taken apart.

This object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, referenoe'being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 1s a view, partly'in side elevation, and partly in vertical section, of a plant marker constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 isa sectionon the linea.a, Fig. 1 Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are perspective views of parts of the marker separated from one another; Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating amodification of my invention,and Fig. 7 is a perspective viewrillustrating a special construction of one of the arts of the device. The marker forming t e subject of the above recited Letters Patent consisted of a stake to be driven into the ground, this stake being provided with an enlarged and inclined head to which was fitted a frame for confining to said head the card to be displayed, said inclosing frame being confined to the meansof a detachable onmovable key or like locking device. I The stake, with its enlarged head and the inclosing frame, were made of cast iron.

In carryingout my invention, I provide the stake 1 with an inclined upper end 2, which is preferably flattened, as shown.

The retaining fra me 3 is composedof a piece of sheet steel,or other metal, of rectangular or other desired configuration, and has, at the front, an inturned hollow flange 4 and at the back oppositely disposed and centrally located years 5, each having formed therein a slot-6 for the reception of the inclined upper end .2 of the stake 1, as shown in Fig.1.

Against the inturned flange4 of the'frame 3 bears the celluloid or other protective'cover 7 for the marking card 9, and in the rear of the. latter, is a backing plate 10, from whose Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 29, 1908. Serial No. 418,317.

and the parts'can be head by Patented Oct. is, 1908,.

central portion is struck up a curved stri 11, which, when the. parts are assemble as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, bears against the inclined up r end of the stake, and, by reason of its resi lency, not only insures the pressing of the covered card firmly against the inturned flange of the frame but also serves, by its frictional bearing against the inclined end of the stake, to prev'entaccidental displacement of the arts when they are mounted upon said sta e. As shown in the drawing, the elastic strip 1 1, pressed up from the back ing plate 10, extends in a direction transversely to the upper end 2 of the stake, but this is not essential.

The parts can be readily assembled by first placing the marking card with its cover and acking plate in the frame 3, and then passv ing the inclined up er end of the stake through the slots 6 in t 1e ears 5-on said frame, separated with equal facility.

The cover plate 7 of the marking card is pressed a ainst the inturned edge of the flange 4 o the frame with such force as to maintain a'substantially watertight joint between the two, and thus prevent the staining of theJmarking card or otherinjury thereto by reason of its becoming wet.

As the frame 3 and backin plate 10, and, if desired, the stake also, can he composed of steel or other. tough and ductile metal, the

parts can be made much fighter than when composed of cast iron, and they are not likely to be broken or injured by rough handling. The device, oreover, does not necessitate the employment of keys or other lsmall parts which are likely to be lost or mis- While I prefer in all cases to employ the slottedears on the frame 3 for the reception of ,the upper portion of the stake, a reverse construction may, if desired, be adopted,the projecting ears on the'frame being passed through slots in the stake, and then bent so as to confine said frame to the stake, as shown, for instance, at 5 Fig. 6, and in such case the s ring tongue may be carried, by the stake, i desired, as shown at 11 in said Fig. 6.

' The upper portion of the stake may, if desired, be reduced in width at the to as shownat '2" in Fig. 7, so as to form shou ders 12 for thesupport of the upper ear 5 of theframe, in order to limit the descent of the latter 11 on the stake.

1. A plant marker consisting of a frame having an inwardly projecting bearing flange in front and projecting ears at the rear, and

.a stake projecting below said frame and having a portion for engagement with said ears.

'2. A plant marker consisting of a frame having an inwardly projecting bearing flange in front and projecting ears at-the rear, and a stake projecting below said frame and having a flattened portion for engagement with said ears.

backing plate, a stake projecting below said,

frame and having a portion for engaging said ears of the frame, and a spring inter osed between the backing plate and the sta e.

5. A plant marker comprising a frame having an inwardly projecting bearing flange at the front and projecting slotted cars at the rear, a backing plate with elastic strip thereon,-and a stake projecting below said frame and having a portion passing. through said ears of the frame and bearing upon said elastic strip of the backing plate.

6. A plant marker consisting of a frame having a hollow inturned flange at the front and projecting ears at the rear, and a stake having a portion engaging said ears.

7. A plant marker comprising a frame with bearing flange at the front and projecting cars at the rear, a backing plate having a spring strip struck up therefrom, and a stake having a portion engaging said ears and bearing-upon the struck-up strip of the backing plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LELAND WILLIS.

-Witnesses:

O. P.-NEwooMB, V E. E. WI'LsoN. 

